Firing apparatus for submarine mines



Patentgd Aug. 22, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

@Q1/ANAH (miv G. E. EUA.

FIRING APPARATUS FOR SUBMARLNE MINES.

y Y v APPLICATIQN FILED IULY l5. 1913. 1,195,796.

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G. E. ELIA.

FIRING APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINE MINES.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY I6; I9I3.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.`

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G. E. ELIA-fig Hams APPARATUS FOR suBMARm'E MINES.

APPLlcATloN FILED 1uLv-'16,.1913.

. Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET a'.

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To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that' I, GIOVANNI EMANUELE 'Emma subject ofthe King of Italy, and a resident of Rome, Italy, have invented a new andv Improved Firing Apparatus for Subfull, clear, and exact'description. l

This invention relates to a firing gear for submarine mines and relies for its opera, .tion upon'the fact 'that a spherical or cir- .'cular mine l'rotates-by contact with' the hull of alves'sel. i' y The inyention has'wfor its general Objects 111 to provide tan'extremely simple firing apparatus 'which is thoroughly reliable and elficient in use, composed of comparatively few parts whichare `easily constructedv and assembled andso'designed that a high degree of safety is Amaintained in the launching or .20 placing of the mine.. t

More specificallythepinvention has for its object to provide anofvel arrangement and combination of parts whereby the rotary Amovement of the mine unfastens a coupling. A and allows the mine to 'riseunder its own buoyancy and thereby operate the firing rnechanism. Y

Another object of the invention is the pro- .-vision of safety devices for preventing the 130* separation of the parts of the coupling during themooring of the mine or under the influence ofthe currents of the water in which the mine is planted.

.An additional object is the employment of Aa simple, eilectiveand novel' firing mechanismV arranged within the mi e case and adapted .to `be actuated bythe uoyancy of the mine when the coupling between the same and mooring cables is detached.

Vith such objects in view, and others as will appear as Vthe ldescription proceeds, the

invention comprises `various novel features of construction andy varrangement of parts ywhich will bemorefully Vdescribed herein- .after and setforth with*particularity inthe claims appended hereto. y

' Inthe l'accompanying drawings, which i illustrate one 'embodiment of the invention,

andwherein 1similarreference characters are v employed to designate vcorresponding parts throughoi'it the severalvieiva Figurel 1- is a f HIRING arranarnsron Lseriamente MINES." Y

` y Specicaton of Letters Patent.

--GIiOiV-A-NN-I AEMANUELE,zetten-'QF ROME', muy;

Application filed July 16, 1913. Serial No. 779,294.

side view of a mine showing the resistance` device thereof locked as in theactof moorv Ing the nime; Fig. 2 is an enlarged s ectioruil view of the firing mechanism locked against, movement, as when the mine is being moored; Fig. 3v is a side elevationlof 'the mine shown in dthe operation' of being tiredVv b y contact with a ship; Figs. tand 5 arcsectional views on' lines and 5f5,ire`spec' 60.

tively, of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 isa view similar to Fig. 2 except that the firingpin is shown 'released and about to cause, the explosion ;'Fig. 7 1s an enlarged sectionalviewjshowing the clamping jaws for settingA or cocking 'the-65, I irmg pin as the released mine rises; F ig.8 1s a sectlonal view on the line 8- -8, Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 isa detail view shownV partlysinV section on the line 9-9, Fig. 2, and showing the locking means for theresistance ruddenj 70,:-

Referring to the drawings ,A designates aspherical or circula-r mine which is provided aty its bottom with a coupling device B, aresistance rudder C, a restraining means o r loqk D for the rudder, and an anchor cable V E which is connected tothe mine A through the locking device D and coupling .,B, therebeing in the mine A a firingvmechanismv F which is operated by the 'outward movement of the mine A under its own buoyancy when .80 i the coupling device B isv uncoupled. Y The coupling device B is made'in three sections l, 2 and 3, thesection lrbeingprovided with a thread 4 at its upperend and this threaded end extends upwardly through '85 an opening 5 in the bottom of themine case 6 where a nut 7 screwedfon thethreaded end y holds the upper section of the coupling in place. The lower end ofthe section l-.is provided with a threaded boss` 8 which -90 J screws into an opening` 9 inv4 the interme-fl diate section :2, such intermediate lsection having a threaded boss 10 -which screws-into a threaded opening l1 inthelower section-y 3. The threads on the boss :8 .areof reverse95' 'i pitch to the threadsy on'the .boss l0, for'the purpose ofcausing the ysectionsbf the-' cou-- r pling to lie-detached b vrotation of the mine.,y

.in either direction..v The lower sectionv 3 is held-againstrotation with. theqmine case'G i00- vto which thefupper section'l isa-fastened, be-` nism-with-in the mine while its lower por-- the sections of the coupling.

tion passes through openings 15 and 16 in the sections 1 and 2 of thecoupling device, and screws intothe lower section 3 of the lVhere this connecting rod passes' -out of the coupling device B and intojthe mine case there is a stuffing-box 17 fwhich' latter.

prevents the entrance of waterA and also a too'sudden movement of the mine upwardly when the coupling device B is uncoupled.

In order to prevent the accidental or premature iringof the mine two safety devices are employed to prevent the unmrewing of For this purpose one device comprises a readily breakable pin 18 -that is normally fastened to studs 19 and 20 on the upper and lower sections of the coupling, such pin being of lsuiiicientstrengthto prevent unscrewing of the'parts of the coupling under the iniiuence of the water currents on the mine or resistance 'device C, but when the mine is positively ro' tated by Contact with a vessel'the pin 18 readily breaks and allows the parts ofv the 'coupling to uncouple, as shown in Fig. 3.

The other safety means is the locking device D, the same'c'onstituting a link between the anchor cable E andthe lower section 3 vof the coupling B. The device D is hingedly connected at 21 with the lower section 3 of the coupling device and the anchor cable E is connected with the opposite end, and on this free end 22 are upwardly-eXtending spring bifurcations 23 which yieldingly engage a projection 231' on the mine AA and straddle the arm 12 of the resistance device C to prevent swinging of the latter-during the operation ofmooring the mine and while the mine anchor is unattached to the cable E. As soon as the anchor is attached to thecable and allowed to drop after the mine has been lowered into the water, the combined link and locking device D swings from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position shown in Figs. `3 and 6, therebyl releasing the resistance'device C.

The iiringmechanism F within the mine case G is preferably made in sectionsfor convenience in manufacturing and assembling. This mechanism comprises a tube 24: divided int-o three sections a, bA and c. The section a contains a preliminary charge of explosive which is ignited by a.detonator 25 mounted in a holder 26 which latter forms a coupling element which screws into a sleeve 27 in the upper end of the section b, such sleeve forming a guide for the hammer 28 of the firing pin 29. .The upper end of the section is closed by a plug 30, but when the charge is exploded by the detonator 2'5, the section a is destroyed and the shock explodes the main charge in the mine case 6. On thehammer 28 is a pin-like projection 31 which strikes and explodes the detonator 25. The lower end of the firing pin 29 passes through a guide 32 and terminatesrin the upper end of the lower section c of the tube of 'the Ii'ring mechanism, and surrounding the firing' be compressed during the upward movement of the mine when the same is 'released by the separation of the coupling device B.

ment which screws into a sleeve 3i in the upper end of the lower section c, and `with. in this;- sleeve 34 is normally -disposed a pair of clamping jaws 35that are provided with lips 36 .that engage with the squared head 37 on the lower lend ofthe tiring pin. These jawsare held together or in closed position against the tension of an opening spring 38 by means of the `sleeve 34, and as soon asreceive the-upper-end of the connecting rod 14.-, there being on the upper end of such rod a nut or head- 42 which ,is larger than the opening l1, so that the member 39 will be connected with the rod 14.

4The lower guide 32 forms a coupling ele- Then the parts are in normal position. as

shown in Fig. 2 the head 42 on the rod 14 is disposed above the bottom of the member 32:), so that suflicient play is provided to permit the sections of the couplingB to unscrew when' a ship comes into contact with the mine A. Of course before this unscrewing takes place the-breakable element or pin 1S is first broken and finally the mine A is released and rises by. its own buoyancy. During this upward movement of the mine the connecting rod 1l, jaws 35 and firing pin 29 remain stationary, as these parts are connected together and also connected with the bottom section 3 of the coupling device B. Duringfthe upward movement of the mine casing the spring33 is placed `under compression as shown in Fig. 6, and finally the sleeve 34 passes upwardly beyond the jaws 35, so that the latter will open by the expansion of the spring ivith a 've-ssel.

"From the. ,foregoingdescriptiontaken in connection l with the, accompanying draw-vy v ings, t-he advantages of the construction and 38, as shown in F ig. .6;l The ring pin 29` being thusreleased moves,- upwardly by theexpan'sion i of the spring 33and, explodes the detonatorLQ, .which in tiirnV explodes the method of operation will be readily understood bythose skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have cle-v scribed the principle of operation, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are Within the scope of the appended claims. A i s Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

I. In a submarine mine, the combination of a charged buoyant body adapted to be rotated lby contact With a vessel, a firing mechanism therein, anchoring means, anda vconnecting device between, the said anchoring means and body and provided with an organ securing its pos1tionsaid connecting device having-members secured respectively to the mine body and-the anchoring means, the said members being separable from each other for a predetermined extent, and operated by a continued rotation of the body to permit the said body to rise and operate the firing mechanism. Y

2. In a submarine mine, the combination of a charged buoyant body, an anchoring means, a detachable coupling between the saidv means'and body for permitting the body to lrotate by contact with the vessel and tohave a limited upward movement with respect to the said means after rotating a certain amount, and a firing mechanism operated by the upward movement of the said body.

3. In a submarine mine, the combination ot a charged buoyant body, a firing mechanism therein, a detachable coupling on the said body and connected Wit-li the 'said mechanism, and anchoring means connected with that portion of the coupling that is connected with the tiring mechanism, said body being rotatable with respect .to the anchoring means for opening the said coupling when the b i. -In a submarine mine, the combination of ankanchoring means, a chargedbuoyant body, av coupling between the said means and body'candcomposed of a plurality of "parts capable of detachment by 'rotationy of the body in either direction, and atiring mechanism for the said vbody and actuated by the' opening of the coupling. 5. In a submarine`-mine,",the combination,

ody is rotated by contactV o anlanchoring means, a charged "buoyant i body, a couplingbetveen thesaid` means and body 'and-composed 'of a plurality cliparts capable v of n detachment v by rotation ofl the i body in' either -direction, a firing r'mechanis'm; 'for the saidy bodyfand actuated byfthe* of the body when in contact vessel.

witlia moving, 7,5

6. In a submarine mine, .the combination of an anchoring means, body, a coupling having thread-connected sections connected respectively with the bodyl 3,0

and'means -and adapted-to be uncoupled by the 'rotation of the body through-'contact a charged ,buoyant with a moving vessel, anda break'ablede-v vice -for preventing separation of the' sec-K tions4 of the .coupling except;4 by rotation Vof 'thesaid body. v Y

l7. In a submarine mine, the combination.

of an anchoring means, a charged vbuoyant body, a coupling having*thread-connected.. sections connected respectively with the-.body

and.l means and adaptedto be uncoupled by the; rotation of the body through vcontact with a movingvessel, a device attached .to

thatsection ofthe coupling connected with Q the, 'anchoring 'means 4for preventing-rotaf tion of such section, and a breakable device for preventiaig separation of the sections of f the coupling vrexcept by rotation of the said body 8.,In a submarine mine, the combination ido of an anchoring means, alcharged.,V buoyant f.

lbody, a coupling having thread-connected sections connected respectively with the body and meansand adapted to be uncoupled by the rotation of the body through contact with a moving vessel, and a device attached to that section of the coupling connected with the anchoring means for preventing rotation of such section While the said body',

rotates. f 9. In a submarine mine, the combination of a charged buoyant body, a tiring mecha-f` nism therein, a coupling device havingl vthread-connected sections and adapted to be' uncoupled by rotation of the body through contact with a moving vessel, means for 4holding one section of the coupling against v rotation with the body, anda connection lie- -tween the coupling section held by thesaid means andr iiri-ng mechanism for actuating the latter by the rising of the body when the vsections of the coupling device are uiicoupled.

10. In a submarine mine, the combination ofa charged buoyant body, a firing niechanism therein, ay coupling device having thread-connected sections vandfadaptcd to be uncoupledby rotation ofthe body through contact ivitlia moving vessel, means tor holding one section of the coupling against rotation with the body Aa connection between the section thata "held by the said means and tiring mechanism-:tor actuating the latter b the rising of the bodywhen the sections o the coupling device are 'uncoupled, and a breakable device connected with the sections ofthe lcoiiplingfor preventing unoupling of the said, sections eX- cept by rotation of the said body.

11. In a submarine mine, the combination of a charged buoyant body, a l:tiring mechanism therein, an anchoring means, a coupling having detachably-connected parts united respectively with the body and yanchoring. means, a connectionv between the firing mechanism an'd that part of the coupling connected with the anchoring means for permitting thelbody lto 'rise by buoyancywhen the'parts ofthe coupling are uncoupled to effect the tiring ofthe mine, a resistance device connected with that part 'of the coupling that :isatta'ched to the anchoring means for holding suoli parts against rot-ation, and av locking device for holdingrthe resistance device against rotation tending to uncouple the parts of the coupling.

12. In a submarine mine, the combination of a charged buoyant body, a tiring mechanism therein, a coupling having detachablyconnected parts, one ofthe parts being ixed on the body, a` resistance device connected `with thefother part of the coupling for preventing turning thereof with 4the body, Va connection 'between the .firing mechanism and. that part of the coupling connect-ed with the said resistance device. a lock on the coupling for holding the resistance device against movement during the mooring -ot' the mine, and an anchoring means connected with the'lock and serving to release the same by Atheanchoring means exerting a downward pull -on the mine. 13. In a submarine mine, the combination of a charged buoyant body, an anchoring means, a coupling between the said means and body, the partsof which are adapted' to be separated to permit the body to have a limited upward movement after a predetermined number of revolutions in either direction by a contacting vessel, a -iring mecha'- nism within the body, a connecting element united with one of the 'parts of the coupling, said firing 4mechanism including .a springactuated tiring pin, and means between the said connecting element and tiring pin for holding the vlatter under tension while the said botlv rises and finally releasing the said pin for effecting the explosion ofthe charge.

ll. In a submarine mine. the combination oi a charged buoyant body adapted to be rotated by contact with a vessel, an anchoring means. a preliminary cliaige of explo sive. a iiring pin for. igniting the said preliminary charge, an element extending into the lbody, a .coupling between the body and anchoring means, the paits Aof which are adapted to be separated by a 'iredetermined number of revolutions of the ody in either direction, and :to one of which parts the said element is attached, jaws on the said element normally engaging the-said firing pintor h olding the same stationary while the body .-rises,.a spring arranged to be compressed by the rising of lthe body while the firing pin is held stationary, and means movable with the .body for permitting the jaws torelease the'firing pin when the body has reached a -predetermined 'point to cause the spring to actuate thefiring pin.

15. In a submarine mine of the-class described, the combination of a mine casing, a4

firing mechanism therein, an anchoring means, and a couplingbetween the said means and mine casing, the parts of which are adapted to be. separated to permit the body to have a' limited upward movement under its own buoyancy after the body has been 'rotated a predetermined number of -times in either directionl by Contact with a vessel, said firing mechanism comprising a tubular structure, an explosive charge in the said structure, a-ring pin for--igniting the charge, a pair of jaws releasably engaged with the said firing pin, spring means tendling to release the jaws from the tiring pin, ,means movable with the said body 'for pei'- mittingxthe jaws to o'pen 'and release the `tiring pin when the body has reached a predetermined position, a connection between -the said jaws and 'one of the parts of the coupling to permit the said jaws to be reioo leased when the body rotates in eitliei directhe body, means for voperating the firing mechanism upon the separation of the paits of the coupling, a rudder carried by one member of the coupling. a locking device for said rudder and to which an anchoring cable .is adaptedto be secured. y y l 17. In a submarine mine, a charged buoyant body having a firing mechanism therein, a coupling having one member secured to the body, meansfor operating the tiring mechanism upon the separation of the parts ot' the coupling. a rudder secured to the lower member of the coupling. and a locking arm lfor the rudder to which an anchoring cable isjadapted to be secured` said arm being pivoted to the lower coupling member and detacha bly engaging the said body.

1S. In a submarine mine, a charged buoyant body having a tiring mechanism therein, a coupling having one member secured to the body, means for operating the iiring mechanism lupon thesepa-ratioii of the parts of vthe coupling, a rudder secured to the` lower member ot' the coupling, an angular 'locking arm having one member pvoted to In testimony whereof;` I have signed my the lower member of the couphng and lts name to thls spec1ficnt1on m the presence of other? member detachnbly engngmg the two subscrlbmg Wltnesses.

body, the member of the arm engaging the GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA. 5 bod)Y being bifurcnted to receive the arm of Iitnessest the rudder, and :u1 anchoring cable attached LAURENCE IV. CI-IAMPLIN,

to saidl locking` arm. ROSE HARDWIGK. 

